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The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Patriotic War of 1812 began on 24 June 1812 when Napoleon's Army of 600,000 soldiers crossed the Neman River in an attempt to engage and defeat the Russian army. Napoleon’s reason for defeating Russia was to cease trading with British merchants and he didn’t trust them fully. During the invasion The Russian people were told to use the scorched earth policy (burn everything that Napoleon’s army could use) as Napoleon’s army came close to a town the Russian people burned it to the ground, they even found Moscow burned and as winter approached them Napoleon had to decide to leave and go back to France and when they get back to France only 10,000 men had survived the Invasion and over 600,000 soldiers died to either cold or starvation. For Napoleon it was another defeat and a heavy loss of men, and some consider this as Napoleons downfall